CTYI Criminology Lectures
Tuesday 13 December

Brian Stone, DCU lecturer in Computing

On Saturday 3 December over 200 students and staff from CTYI’s Older Student Summer Programmes 2004 and 2005 attended the CTYI Christmas Lecture Series in the DCU Business School. The lectures fell under the general theme of Criminology, with five speakers presenting their differing perspectives on the area. CTYI Director, Colm O’Reilly, opened the afternoon’s events, warmly welcoming back students, staff and presenters and hinted that this December occasion was set to become a regular event.

The afternoon kicked off with Patrick D’Arcy, senior manager with RSM Robson Rhodes and former DCU lecturer who works as a forensic accountant. After many years in the area Patrick talked about how much of his profession relies on creativity, wisdom and intuition. He recounted in astonishing detail some of the fraud investigations he worked on with the Garda Bureau, enlightening the audience of enthusiastic teenagers to the resourcefulness, ingenuity and imagination employed by some of Ireland’s most notorious criminals.

Paul Reynolds, RTE’s Crime Correspondent and published author, was next up delivering a shocking insight into the criminal sub-culture that has evolved so strongly in Ireland in recent years. Paul spoke compassionately about how some of Ireland’s most infamous criminals came to be. He gave an altruistic perception that is rarely conveyed in the media – of society’s collective responsibility towards those that are mixed up in such an underworld, both young and old.

Prof. Eunan O’Halpin, TCD Professor of Contemporary Irish History and former Professor of Government at DCU, presented a historical perspective of Crime in Ireland. Asking the question “why was there so little crime in Ireland between 1923 and 1960?” Eunan took us on a historical journey through Ireland’s bloody past leading up to the end of the Civil War. Eunan then documented that although there were many weapons available there was virtually no violent crimes committed over the next 40 years.

Brian Stone, DCU lecturer in Computing, was up next with a riveting lecture that included some stories of the infamous hackers that have graced DCU soil over the past two decades. Brian discussed how security systems have in the past been trespassed using both simple and highly imaginative approaches, and how recent advances are surpassing the capabilities of the world’s hackers.

The final speaker at the lecture series was Dr. John Fox, lecturer in forensic science at Dublin Institute of Technology. Dr. Fox took the group, in quite a dramatic fashion, through the simple and highly intricate techniques used by forensic scientists. Discussing the major advancements in forensic science he outlined his current research area that broaches on new ground - the identification of fingerprints on skin.

A highly informative and enjoyable afternoon, CTYI would like to thank sincerely each of the speakers for their time and effort.